Interlocking building structure, including building units and readily demountable connecting and stiffening means



1956 MacMlLLAN CLEMENTS 2,759,439

INTERLOCKING BUILDING STRUCTURE, INCLUDING BUILDING UNITS AND READILYDEMCUNTABLE CONNECTING AND STIFFENING MEANS Filed Jan. 4, 1951 INVENTORfilaments,

Mw-M

ATTOR NE Y6.

INTERLOCKING BUILDING STRUCTURE, IN-

CLUDING BUILDING UNITS AND 'READILY DEMOUNTABLE CONNECTING AND STIFF-ENING MEANS MacMillan Clements, Bethe], Conn.

Application January 4, 1951, Serial N 0. 204,428

1 Claim. (Cl. 108-24) portions for interlocking engagement with theinterlockmg portions of the said units or panels. Preferably also theimproved structure includes an outside sealing and holding strip forsealing adjacent units or panels and for tightening the interlockingengagement of the aforesaid parts.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a building structureemploying light weight units or panels for a temporary, semi-temporaryor permanent building using connecting parts or members of suilici'entmass to bolster the deflective resistance of -the light weight andcomparatively thin units.

A further object is to provide a specially constructed readily assembledand disassembled building structure by the use of lag bolts or evennails for military use or other uses wherein thin and light panels, theouter surfaces of which are preferably unbroken or in a single plane,and which may be employed in order to meet logistic problems of space,lightness of weight, transportation, handling and storage.

Another object is to provide a structure which is provided with asecuring means which seals the connection between the panels undercompression and which provides an air chamber between the side edges ofthe panels, although the provision of an air space between the panelsides is not required in all construction embodiments.

An additional object is to provide a structure having panel connectingmembers which can be site-produced of such easily procurable material asstandard dimensioned lumber and which may be assembled with the panelsby common or non-skilled labor.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a pair of panels, structuralelement and the connecting means there for, the panels being brokenaway;

Figure 2 is a view similar .to that of Figure 1, but showing a modifiedconstruction;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in perspective and partly broken away, ofone of the panels; and,

Figure 4 is a detail of the panel spacers or webs.

Heretofore there have been constructed buildings employing many types ofbuilding panels and connecting means therefor, both factory-fabricated(prefabricated), and site-fabricated. These panels are of a constructionsuch as to provide resistance to deflection that is adequate for thepurpose intended, and of the strength for" the required spans. Suchpanels have connecting parts or members which do not contribute to thedeflection resistance of the entire structure, other than to transfersheer stresses under deflection loads from one panel to another.However, such panels and their supportingand connecting members fail tomeet the space and ligh P lems of military requirements wherein thepanels must nited States Patent Patented Aug. 21, 1956 'ice be as thinand as light in weight as possible, in order to meet logistic problemsthat include transportation, ease of assemblage by unskilled labor, andstorage. Moreover, present panel buildings provide an intricateinterlocking or a clip connection of panels interrupting the continuityof the outer surface of the panel due to the connecting means employedto connect the edges of the panel. The panels employed provide anon-interrupted outer surface in the present invention as distinguishedfrom those now in use.

The preferred construction of the panel follows generally that of myprior Patent No. 2,511,620, granted June 13, 1950, for StructuralPanels. This panel is comparatively thin, and is composed of structuralor semistructural material of comparatively high density and lowcompressibility and otherwise suits the requirements stated above. Thesepanels, however, are modified as described hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, and Figure 1 in particular referencecharacters A and B show a sectional view of these panels, and 1 and 2indicate facing sheets which may be of any suitable material such ashardboard, plywood, sheet metal, or a combination of said sheets. Thecore consists of a grid of slotted corrugated board strips. The framepieces are shown at 5 and 49, and each of them includes an interlockingnotch having angled sides 6 and 7, which latter extends to thetransverse wall 8. Each panel is preferably constructed of four framepieces, the facing sheets and the grid. The opposite sides of each panelwill be frame pieces similar to 5, 13, 27 and 33, and the right angledframe pieces will be similar to frame pieces 49 as shown in Figure 3.This wall 8 forms one Wall .of the air space hereinafter to bedescribed. The panel B is of the same construction as panel A, and itconsists of the front and back facing sheets 9 and 10 and the grid whichis composed of corrugated strips 11 and 12. Referring to Figure 4 itshows the strips 3 and 4, that are identical with strips 11 and 12, itwill be noted that such strips are provided with slots 451 and 461.These strips may be made of paper sheets 431, be tween which is acentral corrugated paper member 441 similar to, or the same as that,shown in Figure 4. The entire panel may therefore be constructed of thesame materials and having substantially the same proportions as thatshown in my patent aforesaid. Any panel of other construction may beused in substitution of that described.

The panel B shown to the right in Figure 1 is also provided with theframe piece 13 having walls 14 and 15 forming a notch or an interlockingportion corresponding to that of panel 1. It will be noted that there isan air space provided between the parallel walls of the frame pieces 5and 13. This space provides for the reception of a series of lag bolts16. These lag bolts engage at spaced intervals the strip 17 which isprovided with a cylindrical aperture 18 for the reception of the bolt.The bolt is provided with a squared head 19. There 153111 insulationstrip 20 composed of rubber, or rubber-like material, caulking compound,etc., which is inserted between the inside surface of the strip andportions of the outside surfaces of sheets 1 and 9 as seen in Figure 1.These lag bolts during assembly are caused to make perforations or holes21 in the strip 20. If caulking material is used, the air space providesa reservoir for such material which overflows when the outer strip isapplied to form an airtight seal between adjacent panels.

The numeral 22 indicates one of the main frame members which form theskeleton or framework of the building. Such frame members are ofconsiderable structural strength and they are utilized as one of themain features of this invention to form an interlocking connection withthe opposite side edges of each pair of panels. Accordingly, such framemembers are provided with inclined walls 23 and 24 which closely fitinclined walls 7 and of frame pieces 5 and 13, respectively, and theside walls of each frame member closely engages the side walls 6 and 14,respectively, of said frame pieces. As noted in Figure l the lag boltsare of such length that they screwthreadedly engage the frame piece, andtightening of the lag bolts will tighten the interlocking connectionbetween the pair of panels and the frame member. Such tightening willalso because of its engagement with the strip 17 cause such strip tomake an airtight connection between the strip and the panels to therebyprevent the entrance of any moisture or air into the space between thecontiguous edges of the panels.

It will be understood that the sheets 1 and 9 are outside sheets, andthat they as well as strip 17 are exposed to the weather conditionsoutside of the building, and that nails may be used in place of lagbolts, although the latter are preferred.

The locking strip 17 and the frame members are preferably of some of thecheaper construction materials, such as common lumber or plywood, butother kinds of wood or even other materials may under some circumstancesbe used. For instance, instead of employing the strip 17 shown in Figure1 is a metal strip 41 such as shown in Figure 2 may be substituted forsaid locking strip 17.

This construction may be employed for making the side walls of thebuilding. Once the bare framework of the building has been completed thepanels are placed in the position shown in Figure 1, the sealing strip20 and locking strip shown in Figure 1 or 2 is applied in the positionshown, and the lag bolts are then inserted and tightened to form awatertight joint. Figure 1 shows a horizontal section of a portion ofthe wall and one of the vertical frame members 22. Any number of framepieces and panel members may be used so as to construct a building ofany desired size.

In Figure 2 is shown a construction which may constitute the apex of aroof, or this construction may be also readily employed where it isdesired to provide angled side walls. For the purpose of illustration,however, the construction will be described as a portion of a roof.

In this construction C and D indicate oppositely inclined panels. Thepanel C is provided with a core having slotted grid strips and 26 and aframe piece 27 having inclined sides 28 and 29. The panel D similarlyhas slotted corrugated board strips 31 and 32 and frame piece 33 whichis provided with inclined walls 34 and 35. When the panels are assembledas shown in Figure 2 there is an air space 36 provided. No moisture maybe admitted to this air space because of the sealing strip 37 which isheld in place by the lag screw 39 which has pierced the sealing strip orthe caulking compound (not shown), and thus forms an airtight engagementwith the lag screw 39 at the aperture 38. The lag screw engages thelocking strip 41 which is preferably of metal, but it will be understoodthat in place of the locking strip 41 a locking strip similar to thatshown at 17 in Figure 1 may be used.

Extending across the roof is the main supporting rafter 42. One end ofthis rafter is provided with the notch of general dovetailedconfiguration having sides 43 and 44 which engage the sides 28 and 29,and opposite sides 45 and 46 which engage inclined walls 34 and of theframe pieces C and D. These inclined surfaces of the main frame member42 provide in cross-section a dovetailed connection, the opposite sidesof which each engage in the notches of the panels, and one face of eachpanel engages ledges 47 and 48.

While the preferred form of the panels used is that shown and describedherein, I do not desire to be limited in the practice of this inventionto the interior grid construction or the side pieces shown as saidconstruction may be modified by substituting other panels. Such panels,however, must preferably meet logistic problems of space and weight intransportation in handling and in storage while still maintainingmaximum protection against the elements and functioning as part of awall or roof of a building. Under some circumstances panels of solidmaterial may be used, or other forms of panels may be employed whichprovide air spaces between the sheets such as sheets 1 and 2 by allowingfor circular, square, triangular, diamond shaped or other air pocketsbetween the facing sheets. Moreover, I contemplate in some casesutilizing a metallic skin which preferably may be bonded to the outsidesurfaces of the panels such as the sheets 1 and 9 of Figure 1 and theoutside sheets of the panel shown in Figure 2, such skin being shown inmy application, Serial No. 642,279, filed January 19, 1946, now PatentNo. 2,542,860. In place of the outside and inside sheets 1 and 2 such asshown in Figure 1 they are preferably constructed of impregnated paper,cardboard or hardboard, I may substitute for either the inside oroutside sheets a sheet of roll formed metal. In any event, the outsidesheet, or skin, is so constructed as to be relatively impervious toweather.

It will be noted that the structure may be readily transported, that is,the panels and strips including the sealing strip and locking strip.Preferably, the framework of the building of which the members 22 and 42as well as locking strip 17 are parts consists of wooden frame members.These may be manufactured at the side of construction, but under somecircumstances they will be shipped from the nearest sawmill.

The panel members are preferably constructed at the factory and aretransported to the site of construction.

The building structure described herein may be constructed, shipped andassembled at minimum cost due to the fact that the materials are of thecheapest kind obtainable, and because not much skilled labor, if any,would be required in applying the panels once the frame work of thebuilding has been constructed.

The term panel in the specification and claims includes not only thespecific panel shown in the figures, but also units of or panels ofsolid material of bagasse or other fiber etc., and further includes softboards and hardboards made of fibrous or other building materials.

While there has been shown and described several embodiments of theinvention, it will be obvious that changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention, and, therefore, itis aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

An interlocked building structure comprising a substantiallyhorizontally disposed beam, said beam having a fiat upper face andsubstantially vertically arranged parallel sides, said beam beingprovided with a longitudinally extending notch along each of its uppercorners, said notches each being V-shaped in cross section and havingone side extending upwardly and outwardly and the other side extendingdownwardly and outwardly to define a pair of oppositely disposedV-shaped ribs on the upper corners of said beam, a pair of panels eachcomprising a marginal frame and a sheet secured to each side of saidframe, said panels being arranged in spaced edge to edge relation andinclined downwardly and outwardly from said beam, each panel beingprovided with a notch complemental in shape to the adjacent V-shaped riband extending intosaid frame and the lower sheet of said panel with theupper side of said lastmentioned notch engaging the upper face of saidbeam and said lower sheet bearing against said downwardly and outwardlyextending side of said first-mentioned notch, a sealing and lockingstrip extending along the adjacent edges of said panels and spanning thespace between them, a waterproof sealing member arranged between sectionwith its side edges engaging said sealing member, and screw meansextending through said strip and said sealing member and into said beamto lock and seal the adjacent edges of said panels to said beam andclamp the lower panel sheets against the lower sides of saidfirstmentioned notches and the upper panel sheets against said sealingmember.

1,825,195 McAvoy et al Sept. 29, 1931 6 Fisher Ian. 16, Hancock Nov. 28,Sheldon Sept. 4, Smith June 4, Beaud Dec. 10, Lambert Nov. 9,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 17, Great Britain Apr. 20,

